Ignition timer for internal-combustion engines



B. L. TROMBLEY IGNITION TIMER FOR INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINES FiledMarch l9, i923 Sheets-Shea 1 1 pm a w o Nov. 18, 1 4. 1,516,417

B. L. TROMBLEY IGNITION TIMER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES FiledMarch 19. 1923 Sheets-Sheet 2 I A E2? Patented Nov. 18, 1924.

v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN L. TROMIBLEY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

Application filed. March 19, 1923. Serial No. 625,866.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, BENJAMIN L. TROM- BLEY, citizen of the UnitedStates, resid ing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Ignition Timers forInternal-Combustion Engines, and declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to an ignition timer for internal combustionengines andwhile it is specially designed for use in connection withtheso-called Ford motor it may be employed upon any internal combustionengine for which it is adapted.

It is well known in devices of this character that the fibre ring inwhich the electric terminals are supported soon become worn or pitted bythe rotatable brush of the timer through use, making it frequentlynecessary to remove the same for repairs or re placement.

To accomplish this result with the devices now .in use it is firstnecessary to disconnect the wiring and in many cases the binding postsbefore the fibre or insulating ring with its terminals may be removed.

Furthermore these devices as they become worn through wear and frequentdressing soon become inoperative for the purpose intended and have to bediscarded.

The primary object therefore of the present invention is 'to'provide adevice embodying-a removable -fibre ring in which are embedded electricterminals fitted with a yieldable connection adapted when installed inthe enclosing case to couple the terminals with a plurality of bindingposts carried by the case to which the electric circuits of the ignitionsystem are connected. Thus as the fibre ring and terminals in the latterbecome worn due to the rotatable brush traversing its surface, the diskor ring may be quickly and easily removed for repairs or replacementwithout disconnecting the wires leading to the timer and withoutremoving the binding posts or terminals.

Furthermore the fibre disk with its embedded terminals may be quicklyresurfaced upon removal by rubbing the same upon a sheet of emery paperor cloth untll its normally smooth surface is restored whereupon will bemaintained in proper relation to the brush and other co-acting elements.thus automatically providing for the proper operation of the ignitionsystem as when first installed.

IVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds the invention further resides in the combinationand arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed it being understood that changes may be made inthe pre cise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed withoutdeparting from the spirit of the same.

In the drawings accompanying this specification:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the de vice as it would appear mountedupon the cover of a gear case shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a similar View showing the hinged cover of the timer openedto expose the removable fibre ring housed within the case.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through the device taken onor about line 33 of Figure 1, with the fibre ring in position.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on or about line 4t of Figure 2 withthe fibre ring removed from the case.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the removable fibre ring.

Referring now to the letters of reference placed upon the drawings:

A, denotes the cylinder front cover plate of a Ford motor. B indicatesthe enclosing case of the timer projecting from the usual recess (notshown) in the plate A to receive it.

C is a cover hinged at C to the case provided with a central conicalprojection C in which is housed a movable cup-shaped member D, supportedupon a bolt E extending into the wall of the cover.

F is a spring sleeved upon the bolt be tween the cover and cup-shapedmember to force the latter into contact with a removable fibre ring G,that the latter may be held firmly against an annular rim or flange Bextending inwardly from the wall of the enclosing case.

H designates a plurality of terminals em bedded in the removable fibrering and flush with its face, connected by screws 1} with L-shapedspring contact members J lodged in counterbores on the opposite face ofthe fibre ring.

K denotes a plurality of binding posts supported in the wall of theenclosing case to receive the wires of the ignition system and withwhich the several spring contact members J are respectively coupled uponinserting the fibre ring in the enclosing case, (see Figures 2 and Gdenotes a wire bail secured to the fibre ring to facilitate its removalfrom the enclosing case.

L denotes the usual cam shaft shown in dotted line and L indicates arotatable arm mounted upon the shaft, on which is sleeved a brush Madapted to traverse the face of the fibre ring and terminals embeddedtherein.

N indicates a spring housed within the brush and bearing against therotatable arm to force the brush outwardly that it may be maintained inintimate contact With the terminals of the fibre disk as the brush isr'o tated.

P denotes a pin projecting from the wall of the brush into a slot formedin the rotatable arm to limit the outward thrustof the brush.

Q denotes the usual timer case spring pivoted at Qf to the cylinderplate, its free end being adapted to bear upon the cover C of the timercase (see Figure 1) to keep the latter closed and to maintain the caseagainst displacement from the recess provided in the cylinder plate.

It denotes a rod connected with a lug on the timer case for adjustingthe latter.

Having now indicated the several parts by reference letters theconstruction and ope ation of the device will be readily understood.

As the fibre ring with its embedded terminals become worn or pitted byuse, its face may be resurfaced without disturbing or moving any of thewires, binding posts or terminals.

To accomplish this the hinged cover is opened (as shown in Figure 2) thefibre ring is then withdrawn from the case and resurfaced by rubbing thesame upon emery paper or cloth, the ring is then returned to the caseand the cover closed, thereby forcing the fibre ring against the flangeB of the case by the action of the spring F.

The fibre ring is thus maintained in the same relative position to therotating brush regardless of the wear occasioned through resurfacing theface of the ring.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, an outer casing having aninwardly projccting annular flange, a plurality of binding posts securedto the outer wall of the casing with terminals extending to the insideof the latter, a removable insulating ring provided with terminalsembedded therein in spaced relation to each other and flush with theface of the ring, resilient means connected with the several terminalsof the ring adapted to connect the latter with the terminals of therespective binding posts when the ring is inserted in the outer casing,a cover hinged to said outer casing, means carried by the cover adaptedto bear upon. the insulating ring to secure the latter againstdisplacement and against the annular flange of the outer casing, andmeans for securing said hinged cover in closed position.

2. In a device of the character described, an outer casing having aninwardly projecting annular flange, a plurality of binding posts securedto the outer wall of the casing with terminals extending to the insideof the latter, a removable fibre ring provided with terminals embeddedtherein in spaced relation to each other and flush with the face of thering, resilient means respectively connected with the several terminalsof the ring adapted to connect the latter with the terminals of therespective binding posts when the ring is installed in the outer casing,a cover hinged to said outer casing having a conical depression, acup-shaped element housed in vsaid depression and loosely mounted upon abolt extending into the wall of the cover, a spring sleeved on said boltadapted to bear upon the cover and against the cup-shaped element,whereby upon closing the cover the cup-shaped element is adapted to bearupon the fibre ring to secure the latter against displacement andagainst the annular flange of the outer casing, and means for securingsaid hinged cover in closed position.

3. In a device of the character described, an outer casing having aninwardly projecting annular flange, a plurality of binding posts securedto the outer wall of the cas ing with terminals extending to the insideof the latter, a removable fibre ring provided with terminals embeddedtherein in spaced relation to each other and flush with the face of thering, resilient L-shaped spring members respectively connected with theseveral terminals of the ring adapted to connect the latter with theterminals of the respective binding posts when the ring is inserted inthe outer casing, a bail secured to said fibre ring to facilitate itsremoval from the casing, a cover hinged to said outer casing andresiliently supported means carried by the cover adapted to bear uponthe fiber ring whereby the latter may be held against displacement andin abutting relation with the inwardly projecting flange of the outercasing.

4. In a device of the character described, an adjustable outer casinghaving an inwardly projecting annular flange, a plural ity of bindingposts secured to the outer wall of the casing with terminals extendingto the inside of the latter, a removable fibre ring provided withterminals embedded in spaced relation to each other and flush with theface of the ring, L-shaped springs respectively connected by screws tothe several terminals of the ring adapted to con nect the terminals ofthe latter with the terminals of the respective binding posts, a coverhinged to said outer casing, resiliently supported means carried by thecover adapted to bear upon the fibre ring, whereby it may be heldagainst displacement and in abutting relation with the inwardlyprojecting flange of the outer casing, a rotatable arm mounted upon theshaft of the timer, a contact member carried by the arm adapted totraverse the face of the fibre ring and means whereby said outer casingmay be adjusted upon its axis.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

BENJAMIN L. TROMBLEY. Witnesses S. E. THOMAS, JOHN CONSIDINE.

